It was a bad day all around for Boston sports. The St Louis Blues defeated the Boston Bruins in overtime in Game 2 of their Stanley Cup Final series and the Boston Red Sox lost to the Cleveland Indians. What an unmitigated disaster. Ryan Weber (1-1, 4.50 ERA) crashed down to earth and the Indians destroyed the Red Sox JV bullpen. The Indians pounded out 18 hits and 14 runs off the pathetic bullpen. The Sox offense had themselves a night with 14 hits and 9 runs of their own but it wasn't enough as the Indians croaked the Red Sox 14-9 at Fenway Park.
The Indians started their attack right out of the gate in the top of the first inning although Fransisco Lindor grounded out to second to start. Oscar Mercado singled to left and Carlos Santana scored Mercado with a triple. A wild pitch scored Santana before Jason Kipnis popped up to short. Jose Ramirez took strike three to end the inning with the Indians up 2-0.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the first inning against Cleveland starter Shane Bieber although Andrew Benintendi grounded out to first to start. Mr. Mookie Betts launched his 9th home run of the season to cut the lead in half. Rafael Devers whiffed and JD Martinez looked at strike three to end the inning but the Sox were down 2-1.
The Indians struck again in the top of the second inning as Jake Bauers doubled to center to start. Greg Allen was plunked and Kevin Plawecki singled home Bauers. Leonys Martin flied out to left and Lindor lined out to a running Benintendi. Mercado whiffed to end the inning but it was 3-1 Indians.
Once again the Sox answered in the bottom of the second as Xander Bogaerts singled to left and Brock "The Hitman" Holt doubled him home. Michael Chavis flied out to center and Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed, but Christian Vazquez beat out an infield single to short to put runners at the corners. Benintendi lashed a base hit to right to score Holt to tie the game. Mr. Mookie looked at strike three to end the inning but the game was tied 3-3.
Weber took another beating in the top of the third as Santana walked to start. Kipnis singled but was erased on the force by Ramirez. Bauers singled home Santana to put the Indians back on top. Allen tripled home both runners to increase the lead. Plawecki grounded out to third but Martin walked. Martin was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning with the Indians ahead 6-3.
The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the third as Devers grounded out to short to begin. Martinez lined out to right and Bogaerts flied out to deep right to end the inning.
The Indians kept coming in the top of the fourth as Lindor flied out to left to start. Mercado grounded out to third but Santana clubbed a 900 foot home run to increase the lead. Kipnis grounded out to short to end the inning but it was 7-3 Indians. That was it for Weber as he lasted just 4 innings and allowed 7 runs.
The Sox fought back in the bottom of the fourth although Holt grounded out to second to start. Chavis whiffed but JBJ smashed his 4th home run of the year to cut the lead. Vazquez singled and Benitnendi belted his 6th home run of the year to bring the Sox within one. Mr. Mookie popped up to first to end the inning but the Sox were back in it 7-6.
Josh Taylor made his major league debut in the top of the fifth inning and Ramirez greeted him with a double. Bauers grounded out to short and Allen flied out to center, but Plawecki doubled home Ramirez with another run. Martin struck out swinging to end the inning but it was 8-6 Indians.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fifth as Devers whiffed to start. Martinez grounded out to third and Bogaerts flied out to center to end the inning.
Colten Brewer came in to take a beating in the top of the sixth as Lindor singled to start. Mercado whiffed but Santana walked. Kipnis lined one off of Brewer right to Chavis for the out but both runners moved over. Ramirez pounded a ground rule double to right to ice the game. Bauers grounded out to first to end the inning but it was 10-6 Indians.
Oliver Perez came in for the bottom of the sixth and Holt grounded out to second to start. Chavis whiffed but JBJ singled to left. Vazquez whiffed to end the inning.
The Indians put the game away in the top of the seventh against Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez. Allen tripled again and Plawecki walked to put runners at the corners. Martin whiffed but Lindor singled home Allen. Mercado singled to left to load the bases and Santana cleared them with a double. Kipnis whiffed and Ramirez grounded out to second but the game was out of reach, 14-6 Indians.
The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the seventh as Benintendi whiffed to start. Mr. Mookie flied out to center before Devers flied out to left to end the inning.
Shockingly the Indians went quietly in the top of the eighth as Bauers whiffed to start. Allen lined out to center and Plawecki whiffed to end the inning. The Sox pulled off a rally against AJ Cole in the bottom of the eighth as Martinez reached on an error by Ramirez to start. Bogaerts crushed his 10th homer of the year to center to cut the lead. Holt whiffed and Chavis flied out to left but JBJ doubled to center. Vazquez doubled in the exact same spot to score Bradley. How big was the 4 run top of the seventh now? Tyler Olson came in to punch out Benintendi to end the inning but it was 14-9 Indians.
Heath Hembree came in for the top of the ninth as Martin popped up to third to start. Lindor and Mercado stroked back to back singles but Santana whiffed. Kipnis whiffed to end the inning. The massacre ended in the bottom of the ninth although Mr. Mookie and Devers stroked back to back singles to start. Nick Wittgren froze Martinez for strike three but Bogaerts walked to load the bases. Brad Hand came in to face Eduardo Nunez, pinch hitting for Holt only for Nunez to pop up to third. Chavis grounded into a force to end the game. The Indians had won it 14-9, what a disaster.
Jackass of the Night is Hector Velazquez. The final four runs he allowed proved to be the difference.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 5 with 3 total rbis and a 2 run home run.
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with a solo home run.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 runs scored and a 2 run home run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a solo home run.
Christian Vazquez was 3 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Heath Hembree pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Eduardo Nunez popped out as a pinch hitter.
Michael Chavis was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Ryan Weber got hammered for 7 runs in just 4 innings.
Josh Taylor gave up a run in his one inning of work in his debut.
Colten Brewer gave up 2 runs in an inning.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
JD Martinez was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Brock Holt was just 1 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Final Thoughts:
The Red Sox have two months to turn their pitching staff around because this garbage isn't going to cut it. The Indians have had trouble scoring runs all season and they scored 26 in 3 games. Dave Dombrowski screwed up not getting bullpen help because the Sox could have easily won this game if they had anyone that could get a big out. Colten Brewer was supposed to replace Joe Kelly and that's failed miserably. The less said of this ridiculous disaster, the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 29-27, 7.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox travel to New York to play the Yankees in a three game set. Chris Sale (1-6) takes the ball against JA Happ at 7:10 PM at Yankee Stadium.
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